PAWN Trains journalists in North East on Human Rights and Police Act 2020
By Abubakar Waziri
Participants of a day Town Hall Meeting on Human Rights, the Police Act 2020 and regulations have advocated for the reformation of the service in line with the new Act to ease their operations and enhance public confidence in the Force.
The meeting organized by Borno sub office of the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative popularly known as Partners West Africa Nigeria PWAN had in attendance Media and other critical stakeholders from the six states of the north east zone.
In a welcome address, the PWAN Programme Officer Ms Zainab Waziri said the NGO is a gender based non-governmental organization initiated to enhance citizens’ participation as well as improve security in governance in Nigeria and West Africa in general.
“…the NGO is committed to ensure the Rule of Law, Citizens Security and the creation of CSOs strengthening programmes…. because it has established a strategic and adaptive management structure with an emphasis on field presence, accountability, and cost efficiency….” Zainab noted.
Ms Zainab Waziri said PWAN has been carrying out its activities in the country since 2016 in the areas of justice, security reform, gender main streaming, peace building and conflict resolution among others.
“…our Citizens Security programme area also works to ensure inclusive and transparent governance by facilitating critical dialogue platforms for security personnel, critical stakeholders, strengthening the capacity of women and ensuring credible elections for state and non state actors….” She noted.
She said the aim of organizing the workshop for the journalists was to enable them as the forth estate of realm to champion the course of enlightening the public about the Police Act 2020 and the need for all hands to be on the deck to better the country.
In a presentation titled, Promoting Awareness of the Nigeria Police Acts: the Role of the Media, a consultant with the NGO Dr Kelechi Akubueze stressed the need to strengthen Nigerian criminal justice institutions by implementing activities that encourage transparency and accountability.
“….this will be achieved through strategic engagements with the actors of the criminal justice sector, collaborative advocacy, capacity building and encouraging synergy through inter agency coordination mechanisms….” He explained.
Dr Kelechi Akubueze argued that for the Act to be understood fully the journalists ought to play their role of enlightening the public about its content because people pay less attention to know about it and even among the police officers.
“… the organisation focuses on building resiliency in the diminishing of civic space and self regulation…. … PWAN has engaged CSO leadership across the six geo-political zones to facilitate pivotal dialogues resulting in agreed capacity-building and organizational strengthening initiatives….” The Consultant said.
He challenged the participants to include in their reportage issues regarding the act for people to know their rights and the Police to carry out their primary functions without violating the fundamental human rights.
Radio Nigeria gathered that PWAN which is an Abuja based NGO has as its mission, Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative enhances citizens’ participation and improves security governance in Nigeria and West Africa.
